Dengue Fever Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Dengue fever is the most common mosquito spread disease with around 100 million cases occurring annually. It is found in most tropical and subtropical regions and is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. There is no evidence of person to person transmission and the disease is rarely fatal. Travellers should take precautions to avoid mosquito bites when travelling to high risk areas. See your doctor immediately if you present the typical symptoms of dengue fever.

Symptoms of Dengue Fever

Typical symptoms of dengue fever include:

fever

headache

sore muscles

nausea

vomiting

rash

Treatment for Dengue Fever

The main treatment for dengue fever is to encourage the intake of food and especially fluids. This may be supplemented with intravenous fluids if necessary.

Dengue Fever Vaccine

There is no clinically proven vaccine available for the prevention of dengue fever. It is therefore important that travellers to high risk areas take precautions to prevent infection.

Prevention of Dengue Fever

As there is no vaccine available to prevent dengue fever, people in high risk areas are advised to protect themselves against infection by avoiding mosquito bites. Mosquitos carrying dengue fever typically bite during the day, especially at dawn and dusk. Avoid getting bitten by wearing clothing which protects the skin and by using insect repellents on exposed skin. It is also recommended to remove all potential breeding sites for mosquitos such as still water found in containers, pots, and old tyres.

High Risk Destinations

Dengue fever can be found in any tropical or subtropical area and is most prevalent during the warm and humid seasons. Mosquitos infected with the dengue fever virus can be found in both rural and urban areas including major cities. The highest risk is for travellers visiting South East Asia and Central and South America. In Australia, the risk is mainly confined to northern Queensland including Cairns and Townsville as well as the Torres Strait Islands.

Comments

I have had Dengue fever and now post Dengue. I 1st saw a doctor in Bali on the 19/1/2008 and in Perth it took a few long weeks to find out what I had.Please advise GP’s in Perth where and what they should do if people come back from overseas sick. Its a long and very sad road I am taking. Its now been 13 weeks and have no answer as to when I will be able to return to work or even get my energy back. If you would like some info please email me on johnabbott@iprimus.com.au
Heather

Im 13 this year, i got dengue fever when i was 11, i had the fever and all, the school that i go to has a bali trip for 7 days for the year 8’s, i got my fever when i was in bali so i might not be able to go, i was hoping there was a vaccine but there isnt is there any other precautions i could take???

Hi Gemma, I have been home from Bali for a week and was told today i have dengue fever. It is terrible and im still not well. The doctor has told me now that i have it i wont get it again. Im of to Bali again in May. Talk to your Doctor. Good luck. Terri

Actually dengue fever can be gotten more than once, as there are a handful of different strains. Once you catch one strain, you cannot get that strain again, but other ones, you are still susceptible to.

You can definatly get dengue more than once… it is suppsed to worsen/higher risk of hemorragic each time u get it…
Ive had it three times and it sux… I have been sick for four months now and the doctors cannot pinpoint whats wrong. Be careful, wear lots of bug repellant during the day – thats when dengue bites!!!!

Dear Terri, The doctor who informed you that you won’t get it again will need to do more research on the matter. You can’t catch the same strain again but you can most definatley catch any one of the other four remaining strains and this is where the danger lies. If you catch one of the other strains the risk of haemoragic shock is exceptionally high. I work for a medical centre in the southwest of Western Australia, two of the doctors here specialise in tropical medicines and both have recomended that I don’t travel to Bali if there is a higher than normal infection rate in Dengue fever. I contracted dengue in dec 2009 with more than 400 cases reported that year, 20 is normal. And don’t go in the wet season.

You have been given the wrong information about once you have Dengue you will not get it again. You can catch it again and i have been told your symptoms can be more severe than the first time. I am currently living in Bali and came down with Dengue 4 weeks ago and spent 5 days in hospital on a drip and i are still suffering badly with joint and muscle pain and soreness.

The best precaution is wearing a mozzy repellent. We live in North Queensland beside a river. Even though it’s not the nicest feeling I make sure me and both my girls are covered in mozzy repellent the whole day – just like putting on sunscreen really … habit.

Just go back from Bali three weeks ago. Got sick in the first week back with what the doctor thought was influenza. Went back twice more and he put it down to
me being 49, ie hormonal and possibly going through menopause. I was pretty annoyed as I know how i felt.
I was aching all over, having hot and cold sweats, feeling dizzy, very listless,shocking nausia and my lympth glands came up under my arms and were really sore. Plus I had a bad headache. Just got back from my ususal doctor who said straight away, dengue fever. who informed me Dengue fever was rife in Bali at the moment.

Just got back from Bali a week ago, Yesterday i felt a little flu-like but i put it down to the flu shot i had the previous day. I felt fine this morning but i have just broken out in a really bad rash that is spreading from my neck down my back. I am heading to the GP now.

Hope its not dengue fever, but thanks for all the info, at the least I can ask my GP to rule it out.

Did u find out what it was I have exactly the same now!
Got back from Bali yesterday in to Brisbane at 6 am
I was 100% on sat morn buy sat lunch i got flu symptoms pretty bad too plane trip home sat night was horrible my ears smashed me up real bad
Got plane 6 hours later violently I’ll spewing uncontrollable now since a bad rash is on my next started on back neck now 12 hours later I have the rash all over my neck/throught and on my head a bit ((SO BLOODY ITCHY)) I might add please help

To people travelling to Cairns. Yes the dengue is rife up here however very simple precautions will help you avoid it. A can of Bushmans repellant . Also a can of fly/mozzie spray will do wonders to where ever your staying. The local and state governments have spent alot of money in the last 8 months and the numbers of people catching dengue has declined. 99.9 percent of locals have adhered to the blanket advertising and have cleaned up there properties, however, Cairns is surrounded by Mangroves so the turn over of mozzies is quite high. Also most cases have occured at the “Northern Beaches”. Take the few simple precautions and I’ll guarantee you’ll have a great trip with the chances of catching Dengue kept to a minimal.

i live in south australia never been out of the state, but for the last month, on and off have been having a fever, nausea, joint aches, stomach noises (and the usual that goes with it) not wanting to eat, severe headache, very heavy periods, when i clean my teeth, theres always blood when i spit, and always tired….just when i think its gone, a week later, there it is again…..?

I got home from a week in Balio on 25 April. The next day I felf like I had been hit by a truck and then reversed over. I had a very high fever, severe headache, a cough, vomitting and diarrohea and after a few hours a very fine, pink rash spread from head to toe. I went to the hospital were the doctor immediately diagsnosed Dengue Fever. My blood pressure also was high to start with then dropped really low after a few hours.

For a week I was unable to do anything, barely functioning. It has now been over 3 weeks and I am still struggling to function normally. I tire very easily and am constantly nauseous. I used to be a very fit, active person and now stuggle just to get through the day without needing a sleep. As for exercise, forget it.

I have lived in Cairns since 1985 and until now have avoided Dengue. I moved away for 9 months and returned on June 12. My Welcome Home package included more than I bargained for! I seem to have had all the symptoms except the rash, but may just have been too ill to notice. I first experienced headache, chills and aches on June 26. I improved after a couple of days then the beast returned with a vengeance, knocking me flat on my back for 4-5 days. The aches and chills have gone but I’ve had nearly a week of malaise, lethargy, lack of energy and vague nausea. I’m waiting for it to disappear as I have to reurn to the classroom next week! Can’t imagine how I’ll handle feeling like this indefinitely!

Ive just returned from a Bali holiday and felt sick within 4 days of being home. Immediate rash on arms and then spread to whole body, severe headaches, extreme pain behind eyes, horrendous back pain, 39.5 temp, nausea, dizzyness. Spent 5 days in hospital, diagnosed with Dengue Fever. Have been out for 5 days now… feeling little better, body pain and headaches are better but have extreme lethargy, cold, swollen hands and feet, some dizzyness, weightloss, last blood tests showed my liver was not functioning too well. Can anyone tell me how long until I feel normal again? Normally a very fit 41 year old who teaches fitness classes… I feel this is going to be a long road… HELP ANYONE?

I came back from Thailand on September 7th, 2009 after a wonderful holiday and five days later came down with flu-like symtoms. severe headach, nausea, bone and muscle ache and high temperatures. I saw my doctor and he diagnosed viral flue and sent me home to bed. Three days later I came out in a red rash and my liver was aching. I still had the fluctuating temperatures, head ache and nausea. I went back to my Doctor who then diagnosed Dengue fever and explained that there was no treatment and that I would have to ride it out. It took three weeks for me to get better and even then I had no energy and was tired most of the time. I live in South Africa.

Heather here, I made a comment in April 2009 just advising I am much better, 18 months down the track but still get very tired and still have pains in my joints etc. If your new to this illness be strong and rest you will get there

Heather,
Thanks for the well wishes. I too am about 18 months down the track, and I would say my muscle aches and joint pains are about 50% better than they were last year at their worst. I do feel I have more energy although I still don’t quite feel at 100%. I still don’t feel as if I could go out and run four miles (I was quite active before all this–working out like three hours a day). Did you eventually get back to 100%? I’d love to know.
I wish you good health!

I contracted Dengue Fever after a Caribbean Cruise in Sept 2011. 7 months later I am still experiencing severe fatigue, recurring eye pain and conjuntivitis and joint and muscle pain. I too was very active, working out three times a week and had an abundance of energy. Since Dengue I can hardly make it through the day without having to take a nap. The fatigue is overwhelming..
Reading these posts seems like a common thread is that most were very physically fit and healthy before Dengue. The CDC told me the only long term prognosis for dengue is depression. I guess they are somewhat right. It’s very frustrating to be so exhausted all the time. Working out use to give me energy..now I have to take a nap! Would love to hear that this too will pass…thanks!

My daughter 36yo has been unwell for about seven months or more after coming back from Cairns where dengue fever had broken out.
No rashes, just recuring fevers, feeling freezing cold,debilitating pains in joints(hips and back) vomiting, white blood cell count up, blood pressure down,attacks occure 2 to 3 times a week and last from half an hour to one and a half hours, Been in hospital for a week having all sorts of tests, Could this be dengue fever.Worried sick 18/ 12 / 09

Our son returned from Central Java after a two week holiday. Within a day of being home he was feeling flu like symptoms, difficulty moving his eyes and a headache within hours he was vomiting and aching in his muscles and a fever. This went on for three days, we then had the rash appear over his face and upper torso. Bad back pain and muscle burning, low blood pressure. We had to put him into hospital for 3 days for intrivenious drips. His blood platelet levels where also dropping each day. After 7 days he began to feel better but it has taken 4 weeks of total bed rest. Today he went for his first surf in a month, was able to keep up with the regulars and came home feeling fine. It is important when having any of the above mentioned symptoms to see your doctor immediately. We believe this has been the secret to our sons quick recovery. We had him at the travel doctors within a day of becoming sick. He was diagnosed straight away with Dengue and was treated for the symptoms immediately.

hi me again i went to bali 2 years ago came back to perth with what i thought was really bad flu even now 2 years on i am still having relapses were i will be well then get sick again, can anybody else identify with this or can give me any other help on what or how long this goes for, ive never been tested for this can someone who has had it explain the symptoms they had i am loosing patience with getting relapses all the time thanx faye

hi andrea yes i have seen doctors ,specialists and have spent 3 weeks in hospital having tests this started end of 2007 on return from bali however i was never tested for this dengue fever all other tropical diseases though that is why i was asking the questions!!!!!!!!!!! cheers faye

Hi Andrea and all, if you have these symptoms and go to the doctors what do the doctors recommend if there is no vaccine or cure for this disease? Just interested in what they recommend to do as a treatment.

hi andrea just wondering are you a doctor or nurse ? hi allan welcome to the site are you sick with dengue fever , or just interested in the topic?. like heather said i dont think drs in perth no to much about it or how to treat people with it and that goes for any other tropical disease you bring back from your travels.we seem to lag behind the rest of the world here…….

hi heather thanx alot for the imformation it was a real help. hi andrea just so you no i have been to the travel doctor in perth no help what so ever,but thanx for the advice much appreciated i will keep on searching

Hi Ladies, no I don’t have the symptoms, I travel to indo regularly, so just interested, I have an interest in a bar in Bali and one of our staff(male) has been off for a month with the symptoms. They just say hot with no power, I will ask about the rash.

hi andrea i saw travel doctor in perth she basically asked me what other drs had said wrote down alot of stuff shrugged and said she didnt no, sent me off with some worm tablets and $200 later i walked out with nothing.so this has happened heaps of times so forgive me if i seem a bit skeptical about doctors its been 2 long years with no answers and all since returning from bali. however im sure one day the answer will turn up about what i acctually picked up from there. cheers faye

Faye, if your doctor wasn’t able to diagnose or treat your symptoms, it’s important that you get another opinion until you find a solution. You can’t let an illness go untreated and posting on the internet really isn’t going to help.

I strongly suggest you make an appointment with another doctor and work with them to help you.

hi allan i did see it and also left a reply with my email address so i will give you the email address again and then you can contact me fayepurdue@hotmail.com so yeah can shift of this site now but if this disappears then will chat to you on here

Dengue Fever Recovery,
Hi Guys!
There is no vaccine or typical medicine for the Dengue. Some times it takes a few weeks to a few months to recover. But try these…
1. Drink plenty of good water,
2. Eat enough fresh fruits, vegetables, and a little dairy.
3. Take vegetarian protein,
4. Play lawn tennis, (2 hours for 3 days a week)
5. If possible try to walk up the hilly trail.
These shall help to rejuvenate organs.

I was diagnosed with Dengue Fever in Nov 2008 after holidaying in Bali. After many blood tests i was finally diagnosed. I was only the 3rd case reported in Perth WA and the doctors didnt really know a lot about it. I have done most of the research myself.I had all the usual symptoms but the one that stood out for me was my orbital eye vision.Every time i moved my eyes it was very painful. I have heard that if you contract Dengue for a second time the fatality rate is quite high. Is this true? I have been to Bali 8 times and want to go back but need to find out how risky it is for me before i consider going back.

hi nicole how long did it take to get a diagnosis also did you have any other unusual symptoms as i have a new g.p thats working hard on the case and some imfo might help as he doesnt no much about it but any imfo i can give him he says will help him work things through cheers

Hi Faye it took about 2 weeks to be diagnosed, it felt like forever as when you are that sick and they dont know what is wrong with you its quite scary. I had the onset as i was boarding the plane to come home, by the next morning i couldnt even walk to the bathroom. My symptoms were:
-Extremely lethargic, was bed ridden for a week
-Developed red spotty rash after approx 3-4 days
-Severe headaches
-Very ichy, kept me awake for nights on end
-Fever around 40 degrees within the first few days and a second fever about 5 days later.
-Severe back pain / aching
-Pain behind eyes and with eye movement
Once i was given a list of the signs & symptoms for Dengue Fever within about a minute i said to the Doctor this is definitely what i have. Most of the signs are similar to flu like syptoms etc but for me the stand out ones were the red ichy rash and the pain when moving my eyes.
It was the first time ever in my life i thought i was actually going to die. I moved into my parents house while i was sick & i remember lying on the lounge saying to my Mum i think i need to go to hospital now. Its hard to believe that such a small thing like a mosquito can make you that sick. Looking back now & knowing what i know i would probably do a few things differently if i was to ever go back again. Anyway Faye i hope some of this info helps

hi nicole thanx for the imfo mine been going on for nearly 3 years but wont show in blood tests keep relapsing all the time but will pass the imfo on to my g.p i acctually think i have a tropical disease of some sort but symptoms keep pointing to dengue , and i no that feeling of being so sick you think your going to die.i acctually still have days like that thanx heaps

Hi Nicole,
I think you aren’t the third case diagnosed in WA – I was diagnosed last August.
You may be the third case who’s GP has bothered to report to the health department though, my GP didn’t bother to report and wasn’t very helpful with treatment either, just telling me not to take aspirin or nurofen for the muscular and joint pain.

I’ve just come back from Bali on Tuesday and as I was leaving had signs of a cold coming on. At home now it’s gone to my chest, very phlemy cough and sore lower back. But that’s all so far. Should I get checked out?

My husband and I have just returned last night and my husband spent 3 days in BIMC in bali with dengue fever. there is so much of it in bali at the moment. He also had the sore eys and red rash. He is feeling good now just a little weak. You can get a special blood test that does confirm Dengue. Travellers need to be aware of the out break at this time of year.

I was diagnosed with Dengue in April. After returning home from Bali, It came on so Quick..High fever, severe headaches, pain behind the eyes, I could not get out of bed.I ended up in fremantle hospital on a drip for 6 days. Other symptoms included really swollen feet face and hands that felt like they were burning, a horrible taste in my mouth, upper stomach pain, nausea..The list goes on. Now 3 months later I am losing hair by the handfull, Im told this can often happen after having dengue…

My girlfriend caught Dengue fever last November while we were in Bali, lucky she’s come out of it and is better. My only concern is that her GP did not request that while she does have the dengue fever that she should use a repelent so that if she is bitten by a mosquito here in WA it wont spread via the mosquito. So please make sure you do use repelent if you do have it… consider others.

We just got back from Bali, I just really keen know can the symptoms of Dengue Fever happen 8 hours later. We arrived in Bali early am Monday morning and my 9 year old daughter work up 2am Tuesday morning with Fever, Body aches, Head felt like going to explode, pale skin, eyes red and suken/swollen. We left thurs afternoon and basically she has been very ill the whole time in bali and now home. Been giving her panadol to fight fever but now its the 5th day. She has made only 5%progress since monday. could this be dengue fever

ok so i have a red bumpy not really itchy rash on the inner sides of my arms and a little bit near my upper groin/abdominal region, currently in koh tao thailand yet i dont have any head aches, muscular pains or anything of the sort…been bitten by alot of mozzies but feel fine other than that…maybe its just a mild form but worried all the same…

Once you have dengue fever you can not transmit it to another person!!! The mossie that has dengue is the only one who can transmit it and it will continue to do so till it dies. There is no way for a dengue victim to ‘consider others’.

Pardon my ignorance but, how safe are the hospitals in Bali these days?
It has been years since going and maybe they are a lot safer than the old days.
It would be reassuring to know that if contracting illness, like Dengue Fever, the hospitals are a safe place for treatment.

i m traveling with my 10 months old baby and i heard that the outbreaks of dengue fever in the area are becoming more severe. i m visiting family after two years so i really don’t want to cancel the trip but if have to i ll, plz let me know is thr any precaution i can use..?

I was in bali for 14 days just got back on the 12th day in Bali I started to feel unwell like I had the Flu. On the plane home I got even more sick, by the next day I was at my GP which was very hard to even get out of bed to see he did blood tests and by Friday morning I was Diagnosed with Dengue Fever, My Temp has now gone down now but keeps creeping up and I have the rash all over my body with swallon feet and hands, the pain in my stomach is still there and I cant really eat at all, I can finally hold fluids in on the 5th Day. Just wanting to sleep all the time which is also hard as u are in so much pain it keeps you awake. My Doc said there is no treatment just plenty of rest and painkillers for the pain and keep fluids up. I also have Asthma which is usally only Winter related but seems the Dengue Fever has now triggered this off to it’s worst my chest is very sore and the cough is a killer. I just wish I could go to sleep and wake up and it’s all been a bad dream. !!

well so good to read all the posts. I have recently returned from Bali and started getting sick the day we returned sudden onset of chills very cold feet and goose bumps took some panadol went to sleep and had to get ready to catch our plane but really didnt want to move. By the time i got through immigration my friend said i looked grey and she was very worried about me i took some more Panadol.Saturday i had high fever but rallied forth, Sunday i felt terrible everything tasted terrible and metallic, i became very nauseated and started vomiting/dry wretching. Went to see a dr who was useless and because i am a health professional then was reluctant to seek further help. On the Tuesday so five days post onset my temperature was down but i had a fine red rash people kept asking me if i was sunburnt but i wasnt, i thought i would go shopping as xmas was looming. I felt very shaky and my daughter and i went to get food and i collapsed in the retaurant. I got a wheelchair back to the car and she drove me to Fremantle Hospital, they were amazing and knew exactly what was wrong i was severly dehydrated and an IV was commenced, then i collapsed again. It was a very scary time i was in hospital for three days. Today I decided to return to work so 20 days post onset I lasted until lunch time then came home and collapsed in a heap. I keep breaking out in a sweat and feel soooo lethargic. I have decided not to go to work tomorrow and see how i am on Monday but it is just a day by day thing and i dont have much sick leave, I have been to Bali seven times and this has severely knocked my confidence with going back. I think i was bitten up near Kintamani in the north three days before onset of symptons.I will much more mosquito wary if i go back.

Please be clear: There is NO vaccination against dengue fever. There is NO preventative (like there is for malaria) against dengue fever. There is NO treatment for dengue fever (apart from rest and perhaps IV fluids – check other websites for more info).

If you get it the first time it is HORRIBLE (my 6 year old got it in SE Asia recently).

Worst of all is if you contract it again it could kill you through internal bleeding for which there is no treatment.

This is why we will not return to dengue zones (including Cairns) in the world until she is an adult and even then with EXTREME caution (perhaps by then there is a cure).

Regarding your 10 month old….be extremely careful. The only preventative against dengue is not to get bitten by mossies. The mossies are full-on. Where there is no repellent they will feed. They bit my 2 year olds face when I had him slathered in repellant!! Any bare patch…..Just know that the mossies mean business.

I wish there was more information and warnings about dengue fever and not just malaria. At least with malaria there is a preventative….with dengue…just don’t get bitten.

My family and i went to Phuket in October, 3 days before i came home i got the achey back and legs, and slept for 2 days. On the way home we had a stopover in Singapore where i notice a rash. I was also feeling pretty crook by this stage. As the flight home went on i got worse. The aches, rash, feeling like vomitting and worse of all the pain behind my eyes.
Not really knowing what it was i thought i was just coming down with some horrible bug. But once we arrived back in Broome i felt so bad i got my husband to take me to the hospital.
The doctors thought it was Dengue, told me there was no cure and to go home, sleep, rest, and drink lots of water.
I spent the next week and a bit in bed.
Im now back at work and struggling with motivation to do anything. I find if i do too much i get really tired. Its really frustrating.
We have a holiday to Bali booked (which we booked before Phuket)im looking forward to it but am really worried i might get Dengue again. Its alot worse second time (internal bleeding etc)
So if anyone knows of any good mozzie spray could you please let me know. I will also be wearing clothing that covers everything

oh after about 2 weeks and a number of blood tests it was confirmed that it was Dengue. Also had another virus called Kunjin.. The doctor wasnt too concerned with this one. But reported Dengue to the health dep

I arrived home from Bali on 19th Jan 2011 very sick – Husband made an app with Dr the day i arrived home – Aches & pains awful tast in mouth couldn’t eat and didn’t drink enough had to go to hospital on drip for 6 hrs – its now 10th Feb and I am still not 100% feel tired all the time and sleeping lots I am 63. How long do i except to feel like this. Has anyone else taken a while to get over this awful disease

A friend in Lombok (Indonesia) has just been diagnosed with dengue fever. It is the 4th time she has contracted the virus and it was nearly fatal. She physically collapsed and they had to use paddles to revive her. It is a virus to be taken very seriously. She is only 19 and was extremely fit and healthy.

My husband and I both contracted Dengue Fever in Bali during January. This was confirmed by blood tests on our return to Australia. My blood test confirmed that I have had Dengue twice. My GP has done extensive research into Dengue and has advised that there are four types: D1, D2, D3, D4. D2 is the dangerous type. I have also determined that if someone is bitten by a mosquito carrying say, the D3 virus and then bitten by a mosquito carrying the D1 or D4 virus, it can trigger the D2 type. It is anticipated that there will be a vaccine available in approx 2016 as testing is currently underway. I will again travel to Bali, however I will be very careful to spray accommodation morning and evening, and wear effective repellant at all times.

Hi everyone, I got have just been to Bali for 3 weeks and got sick after the first week. Had blood tests when i got back and got the results today, Dengue Fever. My doctor said it should take about 6 weeks to get over it. He also said that once you have it you will not get it again. Hope this is right as im of again in may. Its a very horrible illness. Cheers, Terri

hi all, i returned from bali in feb of last year and was diagnosed with dengue a few days later. I as in hospital for 5 days and my platlets went down to 60! I have recovered well but do find that if i get sick now with a virus, the symptoms do seem worse.I am very interested to hear that some of you have been told that you are now immune to dengue because you have had it??? I would love this to be true as i am returning to bali but not sure if it is, thanks

Hi everyone,
I have just read through all the above comments and commiserate with everyone who has been struck down with Dengue Fever. While in Bali recently, my adopted Balinese daughter’s mother came down with Dengue for the second time – she also had it 6 months ago. Not knowing very much about this disease, I researched it on several websites. As already mentioned by Anne, there are 4 strains of Dengue Fever. What I also read was, once you have experienced one of the strains, then you become immune to that particular strain. It is my understanding that you can only experience each strain just once.
This, of course, means that you can contract Dengue Fever 4 times, as Liz’s friend did.
When I visited my adopted daughter’s mother in the hospital, I was told to bring her lots of Guava Juice and water. Apparently, Guava Juice is good for Dengue Fever, according to the Balinese – and they should know, as it’s a common occurrence for them. Of course, it’s not a cure – but it may provide that extra energy required to recover. Another piece of information I gleaned from the readings was that if a non-carrier mosquito bites a person who has Dengue Fever, then that mosquito will become a carrier. When that mosquito then bites another, healthy person, he or she will get D.F. So,it is important for someone who has already got D.F. to ensure they are not bitten by any more mosquitoes. This, I think, was what was meant by Vox when he said people with D.F. “should consider others”. The disease cannot be spread by person-to-person contact, but that mosquito who has just bitten someone who already has D.F. certainly can.
I am off to my G.P. myself tomorrow but hope to goodness it’s not D.F. I hope you all make a full and speedy recovery. All the best, Mathilda.

July 14,2011.
My 24 yr old would like to travel in Thailand, but Dengue Fever worries me a lot.
He gets bad mosquito bites at the best of times. It’s not that easy to stay 100% covered in DEET at all times. Plus he wants to stay in youth hostels to meet other travellers, but without bednets or air conditioning, I am afraid he will just be a mosquito magnet. Any one got any advice for a worried mother?

2days after I returned from Borneo I developed high temperature,headache,nausea, dreadful taste in mouth and small amount of blood each time I blew my nose. Went to GP feeling very Ill next day. She wrote up request form for blood tests then rang Registrar at Royal North Shore Hospital to see if she should add any more. He advised test for Dengue Fever. 2 days later I went to Emergency as illness had sent heart into arrhythmia (pre existing condition exacerbated by severe stress to body – won’t happen to other people.) Doctors were puzzled as to why I was so sick until GP phoned next day to say blood tests showed Dengue Fever. The acute stage of DF progressed daily with vomiting, diarrhea, red rash, very painful swollen hands and feet with rash. Ached all over. Very, very ill. There is no treatment only Panadol to help reduce fever, saline drip for some days, Maxolon to help with nausea and antihistamines to help with itchy,painful swollen hands. Now in lethargy/weakness stage 3 weeks after acute stage finished. Do everything you can to prevent being bitten by these mossquitos. It is a nightmare going through this, thinking you are going to die.

Sorry to contradict but I am from Lahore , Pakistan where we have the worst dengue epidemic right now . The sad part is that atleast 10 people are dying everyday and that is the official number . The dengue virus spreads if an ordinary mosquito bites an infected person and than a healthy person. That is one of the reasons for the severe epidemic in our area.

Hi everybody,
Just arrived home from Thailand and 3.5days later was stricken with a servere fever-over 40c-rash and aches and pains-unfortunately for me the rash has developed into Psoriasis leaving me with a semi permanent cover of skin complaint.
All symptomns are as described and Doctor informs me it takes anything upto 18 months to clear your system. Worst case senario from the Doctor was continuous blood tests and NO Alcohol for at least 3-4 months.
I am lucky I suppose 1 out of nine who wnet on the trip and I got it.

Hi,
I contracted Dengue fever 2 years ago in THAILAND. i have not yet fully recovered. I have constant fatigue and havent really been able to exert myself physically without feeling lethargic. I have, what i have now diagnosed as Post Dengue Disorder. I have had 2 relapses in the past 8 weeks. I am now on my 3rd day off work and just had blood tests done yesterday. I have also come to the realisation the, so called DOCTORS have no idea about Dengue, because it a condition that has not been taught to them. Dengue is a disease you have to experience and learn. The post symptoms can be quite severe but also very subtle. 3 days ago I went for a 5 km Run and felt great . The next day I awoke feeling very lethargic and sore muscles, very tired( could not keep my eyes open). The more you talk or exert energy the subtle symptoms show themselves , soreness in sinesses and under eyes, light headedness and dizziness, with a constant felling of pressure at front of head. I had one night of uncomfortable legs ( This is where you keep moving your legs when you are trying to sleep because of an uncomfortable sensation through your body). A constant headache which there is no cure for. Don’t bother taking medication because it doesn’t work. You have to ride it out. One thing I have noticed that does help with the symptoms of Dengue is Coffee. I think the properties in coffee give relief. I am not sure if these reoccuring symptoms will ever go away. Once you have Dengue Fever you will always have Dengue Fever. You just have to accept it and deal with the post effects when they hit.

i just returned home from thailand- phuket on the 5th dec 2011 i started getting sever diarehoa yesterday and this morning at 2am i woke up and couldnt slep with intense nausea- NO VOMMITING worst part!!! i got eaten alive in the first few days – sand fleas or mosquitos i never seen them, but my whole arms n feet were covered whole trip. could this hasve given me the dengue virus??

I got Dengue in Fiji in 2008 and it was awful! We were living over there at the time and I just had to get on a plane and come home I was so ill with it. As horrible as it was in the acute phase, I still feel under par. Have a recurring infection in my ears and my vision and hearing have deteriorated. There is very little information about the long term effects (except most websites say there aren’t any long term effects). Try to avoid it if you possibly can as the repercussions for my life have been pretty bad.

Since I posted my comment above, I have recovered from DF. It took 2 1/2 months before I felt completely well again. The Infectious Diseases specialist told me not to push myself physically during the lethargy stage, which I see some people have done. I had 3 Vit B12 injections and they helped increase my energy levels significantly. Eventually the skin on my hands and feet peeled and my hair started to thin out on top of my head, however it’s recovered.

We have just returned from a (extended) stay in Bali.
My hubby got sick the night before we were to fly out.
He woke up early in the morning with an excrutiating headache, uncontrollable shivering and a temp. of 40.5
I gave him some panadol, but it didn’t help at all, so at around 7ish I rang the resort reception, who immediately sent out a doctor and nurse. He was given an injection to lower his fever, and they left him antibiotics, anti-inflammatorys and pain killers. that day and the next, he was feverish, in a lot of pain and then he started getting a rash. The doctor came out again and took some blood and within 2 hours they rang to say he had Dengue Fever. They returned with an ambulance, put a iv drip in and he was transferred to BIMC hospital near Kuta, where he stayed on the drip for 6 days. He drank heaps of water and slept a lot with the regular injections for pain he was getting.
The intense headaches and bodyaches were very, very painful for the first six days.
His blood levels went up again after day 7 and then again the next day, so he was released from hospital.
We returned home 11 days later than expected, but are extremely thankful to the fantastic care he got from ALL the staff at the Bali International Medical Centre Hospital, and also greatful that we took out travel insurance with a very good and supportive insurance company!
Hubby still tires quite quickly, but that is normal.
We were not aware of the high risk of Dengue and in future when we travel to Bali again, will be very dilligent with personal insectant repellant application ALL day!

Ive decided that the comment from Daniel who commented on a post dengue disorder has it spot on!! I have decided that this is a disease of stages. Stage one acute which includes all symptoms as described but can vary from person to person stage two possible collapse stage three extreme fatigue, rash itching irritability and depression stage four peeling of skin on hands and feet, intolerance to activity and alcohol, episodes of extreme sweats and colour changes ( observed by colleagues ) up to stage five which is hairloss and weakness of nails.Now in my third month post dengue I definitely feel better but am disturbed by the ongoing nature of symptoms I am not good at being debilitated!!!I am definitely not interested in returning to my favourite holiday destination which is very sad

I;m in costa rica and mosquitoes everywhere and the dirty water they breed in I am told is around when this happens. I have all the symptoms except the back rash but I am red color blind. I need to see a Dr. can I wait 6 more days until I can get help in the USA from my Dr or do I need Immediate help In Costa Rica now.

I agree with Daniel and Hilda, definitely goes on for a long time after the initial terrifying systems. I had Dengue 2, started with urinary infection, headache, sunburn type rash, fever, vomitting and other end. Really felt like I was dying for two weeks and almost wished I would. No taste then everything tasted like salt, couldnt eat or drink for two weeks. Now have no energy, severe hair loss really starting to worry Il go bald, so took advice on another site and started taking vitamin b and e, seem to feel a bit better. Also affected my memory apparently u can have small bleeds on the brain. And yes depression cause u wonder when it will end. Hope not in two years like some of the above stories. Good Luck to you all x

I had dengue hemorrhagic fever in May last year, even now I still get tired easily. It all started with being freezing in 30 degree heat, I wasn’t hungry or thirsty and came up in a rash, I was hospitalised for 6 days, I also had typhoid and an intestinal parasite. With the incubation period, they say I was bitten the minute I hopped of the plane at Denpasar. I will never go back and now my husband has forbidden tropical holidays

Hi I definitely agree with Daniel. It has taken me a good 18 months to feel good again. Hairloss and extreme tiredness afterwards most doctors don’t seem to know about. I was also told its an inside mosquitoe.
We were in ubud and on arrival two days later I got a rash around my stomach so I went to lye down as I was feeling off. Collapsed in the shower with extreme high temp and headache like a hammer ha gone through my head. Couldn’t open eyes. My mum arrived and said I looked like a beet root. The pain was nothing I’ve ever felt. Went to freo hospital and they thought meningococcal or malaria then dengue was confirmed via blood test in the morning. No drugs helped the hospital put ivs in me and the next day I went home as there was nothing they could do and it was too noisy. Couldn’t keep
Food down and extreme tiredness slept for three days straight then I felt ok Then the rash set in. Like hundreds of bees stinging your hands and legs and feet. Antihistamines worked a little. But wrapping feet in ice and freezing them allowed me a few hrs sleep. My skin also peeled off. Feet hands lips About 2 months later my hair started to fall out and nearly 18 months later I’m still always tired but my hair is coming back.

I acquired dengue fever in Bali two years earlier when I was 14. Although I managed through it without any extreme complications – well only ones caused by typical Dubai hospital staff – I experienced many symptoms during the year ahead. I first began realized the extent of the strain the pathogen had put on my body when 5 months after I recovered I suffered from extreme hair loss. This according to my dermatologist was caused shock my body had gone through. Another problem I faced was severe joint pain in my toe. My first conclusion was that my toe was broken yet once again my doctor concluded after a x-ray that it was also a side affect of the pathogen.
I have been to many sites looking for a vaccine for Dengue Fever so I may visit Asia once again but on none have I seen any mention of long term effects. I do realise that all bodies react differently to this type of strain and pressure so the issues may not be the same but I think it should be recognized that some issues may occur.